INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE
Market Gardens
Orchards & Packing Sheds
Berry Production
Olive Groves & Presses
Vineyards & Wineries
Flower Growing
Fungi / Mushrooms
Turf Farming
Wholesale Plant Nursery
Aquaculture
Dairies (milking sheds)
Feedlots
Piggeries
Poultry Sheds
Intensive Animal Husbandry
Stud Farms
Horse Stabling & Training
Deer Farms
Alpaca Farms
Goat Farms
Rabbit Farms
Breeding of Domestic Pets |
FARMING IN DUNGOG SHIRE
Dungog is a rural shire and Council encourages the establishment of new farming activities. Within the Shire, farming is divided into 'Agriculture' and 'Intensive Agriculture'.
• Agriculture - is the broad acre commercial farming of crops or fodder or the grazing of livestock. Agriculture can be undertaken in all non-urban areas within the Shire. Within areas zoned Rural 1(a). Rural Lifestyle 1(l), Rural Enterprise 1(e) and Transition Zone 9(a), agriculture can be undertaken without development consent. With development consent from Council, agriculture can also be undertaken in areas zoned Special Uses 5(a), Recreation 6(a) and Environment 7(a) zones.
• Intensive Agriculture - includes the production or packaging of fruit, vegetable, flower or fungi crops, intensive livestock production (such as feedlots and poultry farms), vineyards and wineries, aquaculture, turf farming, wholesale plant nurseries and the breeding, boarding and training of animals, including domestic pets. Intensive Agriculture requires the consent of Council and can only be undertaken in areas zoned Rural 1(a), Rural Enterprise 1(e), Employment 4(a) and Transition 9(a). |
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DO I NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL TO FARM?
Development approval from Council is required for all forms of Intensive Agriculture. It is also required for Agriculture in areas zoned 5(a), 6(a) and 7(a). Erection of any buildings, such as rural sheds, for Agricultural or Intensive Agricultural Use also requires Development Approval.
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DO I NEED ANY OTHER APPROVALS?
Yes… If you are erecting or altering buildings you will need to obtain for a Construction Certificate before you can commence any building works. The Construction Certificate Application Process is explained in the Construction Certificate Information Sheet.
You may also need an approval or a permit from a State Government Authority.
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CAN I SELL MY PRODUCE DIRECT TO THE PUBLIC FROM MY PROPERTY?
Possibly… It will depend on what you produce. Council permits farm gate sales provided that you only sell what you produce on site, the sales area has a gross floor area of less than 75 square metres and you can provide safe access and off-street parking for customers. You will need to meet the requirements of Council Development Control Plan 1 - Farm Gate Sales and obtain development approval from Council.
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CAN I OPERATE A CAFÉ OR TEA ROOM AS PART OF MY BUSINESS?
Possibly… It will depend on what you produce and what your land is zoned for. Please discuss your proposal with Council. |
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WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER IN PREPARING MY DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION?
In preparing your Development Application and accompanying Statement of Environmental Effects you need to answer all relevant questions on the Development Application form. The requirements for a Development Application are detailed in Part A - Section 2 of Dungog DCP1. For agriculture and intensive agriculture, the specific information that you need to include with your development application is summarised below. You will also need to consider the requirements of:
- Dungog Development Control Plan 1 - the provisions in relation to - Buffer Zones, Rural Sheds, Farm Gate
Sales, Bushfire Protection (available from Council's website)
- NSW Rural Fire Service - Planning for Bushfire Protection 2001 (available from www.rfs.nsw.gov.au)
- If you are proposing to clear any native vegetation on the site - the Native Vegetation Act and Regulations
(available from www.hcr.cma.nsw.gov.au) and the Threatened Species Act.
- If you are proposing to keep livestock or domestic animals for commercial purposes - Part 3 of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (General) Regulation 2006 and relevant Animal Welfare Codes of Practice
(available from www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/aw-welfare)
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Where and what you plan to produce
- Location of the property
- hat you propose to grow or produce and whether there is going to be any on-site packaging or processing
and/or sales to the general public.
- The scale of the operation - area to be cultivated, numbers of animals to be kept etc.
- The production process - for example, will it involve spraying, night harvesting etc.
- If animals/livestock are to be kept, how they are to be housed.
- How you are proposing to source water and details of any proposed irrigation.
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Any proposed clearing of vegetation, earth works, infrastructure and/or building works
- Site plan showing the layout of the buildings and structures, setback from the boundaries, access to the
property and where staff, visitors and delivery vehicles will park. You must comply with DCP1 -Buffer Zones
in relation to setbacks from neighbouring dwellings and roads.
- Building plans showing what the building and structures will look like and the materials that they will be
constructed from. If you are building sheds and/or undertaking farm gate sales you must comply with
Dungog DCP 1 - Rural Sheds and DCP 1 - Farm Gate Sales.
- Details of any proposed earth works or infrastructure works Plans and photographs showing any vegetation
that you are proposing to clear. You may need to provide a Property Vegetation Plan (PVP), (see.www.hcr.cma.nsw.gov.au)
- Details of how you will ensure bushfire protection - you must comply with the NSW Rural Fire Service –
Planning for Bushfire Protection.
- Proposed signage.
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How your business will operate
- The number of staff that will be employed and the maximum number of staff that will be on site at one time
and the staff amenities proposed.
- If you are proposing to open for the general public - how many people are likely to visit your establishment and how much traffic will they generate.
- Hours of operation and any proposed night-time activities
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The environmental sustainability of your proposal
You must demonstrate that your proposal will not adversely impact on the local or broader physical environment, with consideration being given to the impact of your development on soils and soil stability, water quality, river flows and ground water recharge, the biodiveristy of the area, native vegetation and fauna etc. The principles that Council will use to assess your proposal are listed in Section 7.1 of the Dungog Shire Rural Strategy 2003. Each of these principles must be addressed in your Development Application.
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The impact of your proposal on the amenity of your neighbours and how you propose to minimise this,
Issues to be considered include:
- Spray Drift - how you propose to control spray drift.
- Noise - how you propose to comply with relevant noise regulations. Council may ask you to provide an
Acoustic Engineers Report.
- Visual Impact - the visual impact of the development on your neighbours and any public road or space.
- Hygiene (for intensive animal production) - how your facilities enable easy cleaning, the proposed cleaning
regime and how you will store chemicals, control pests and accommodate sick animals.
- Waste disposal - How faeces, contaminated water, chemicals, accumulations of hair/fur, dead animals etc
are to be disposed of.
- Odours - how you propose to control odours.
- Lighting - any yard and security lighting proposed. Lighting must not impact on neighbours.
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